presented him with a medal and one hundred
and fifty silver roubles. Mârine left the
Emperor's presence a happy man.

SCHOOL AND SUMMER.

STUDY to-day! those children twain
Bend o'er the unlearn'd task in vain,
But only with their eyes;
Each little heart is out of doors,
Bounds o'er the blooming earth, or soars
To yon rejoicing skies.

Hard to sit still, while thus around
Motion and sparkle so abound,
To charm the childish sight.
Soft music floats tbrough dell and green,
Even the very floor is seen
To undulate with light.

While, like a welcome from the woods,
Streams the fresh smell of bursting buds
The open windows through,
And on the sea—that lies asleep,
Yet dreams of motion—light waves leap
Distractingly in view.

And who o'er musty rules could pore—
While waving boughs of sycamore
Drip sunshine on the book?
Catch now and then on each dull word
The flitting shadow of a bird—
Without a rueful look?

Not there they seem constrained to talk
Of flower and fount, and forest walk,
And oh! if they could dwell
Like pretty Maia in the wood
Beneath a leaf, and drink their food
From each wild blossom's bell!

Come, let the weary lessons end,
The fair young Summer must not spend
Her holiday alone;
And once beneath the open skies
Surely those changed, uplifted eyes
The same bright hue have won.

Oh, happy creatures! scarce they pass
A daisy, pink, or flowering grass,
Without a burst of joy.
A smooth grey pebble is a prize;
The glancing of the butterflies,
Enchants them, girl and boy.

What deep delight to stand and hear
The linnet tremulously clear,
The droning of the bee;
That sound of waves, so soft in swell,
As loud might issue from a shell,
That whispers of the sea.

To gather, in the deep green lane,
The hawthorn blossoms that remain,
Last month's delicious boon;
And feel it as the perfumed breath,
The shade of May that lingereth
Upon the skirts of June.

See, the wild rosebuds crimsoning;
It is the blushing of the Spring
'Neath Summer's earliest kiss.
The children's shout seems wildly fit
The thrill of life is exquisite
On such a day as this.

At last we reach a still retreat,
Cushioned with moss and scented sweet,
A forest parlour fair;
Soft jets of sunshine pouring through
Its emerald roof, and Heaven's calm blue
Just glimpsing here and there,

While each a wild wood garland weaves
Beneath the flickering of the leaves,
How fair they seem and still!
A moment more both laughing stand
And shake for sport, from hand to hand,
The silver of the rill.

And now a fairy measure tread;
Anon the tiny feast is spread,
And while the day goes by,
The echoed voice of each gay elf
Returns, as though e'en Silence' self
Laughed back for sympathy.

Say'st thou the day was idly spent,
Its beauty all ineloquent,
Good lessons to impart;
That, looking at the unfathomed sky,
No holy sense of mystery
Would settle round the heart?

Or will they love each other less
For seeing Nature's lovingness;
Or more ungrateful prove
For having joined a childish lay
With her thanksgiving psalm to-day,
To her great King above?

Nay; but whate'er their future lot,
The memory of that verdant spot,
The coolness and the calm,
Upon worn spirits tired of life,
Or through the fever of the strife,
Will fall as soft as balm.

Oh! we should steep our senses dull
In all the pure and beautiful
That God for them hath given
Creep into Nature's heart, and thence
Look out with gratitude intense
On life, and up to Heaven.

BOOKS FOR THE BLIND

IT occasionally happens that the exertions
of those who are showing kindness towards
their fellow-creatures are rendered inefficient
by a want of co-operation and harmony.
This is, to some extent, the case in respect
to the admirable systems for teaching the
blind to read. The solicitude displayed
towards the afflicted is noble and touching;
but the same degree of care, and the same
amount of subscriptions, would have produced
better results for the blind, if the various
institutions had acted upon some one
combined plan. Our reference is chiefly to the
kinds of Alphabets employed in teaching
the blind to read; some of these cannot be
understood by the pupils at institutions in